The Hearers

Πᾶν ῥῆμα Χριστοῦ ἔλεον, καὶ δικαιοσύνην, καὶ σοφίαν ἐμφαινει Θεοῦ, καὶ τὴν τούτων δύναμιν διὰ τῆς ἀκοῆς ἐμβάλλει τοῖς ἠδέως ἀκούουσιν. Ὅθεν οἱ ἀνελεήμονες, καὶ ἄδικοι, ἀηδῶς ἀκουοντες τὴν τοῦ Θεοῦ σοφίαν, γνῶμαι οὐκ ἐδυνήθησαν· ἀλλὰ καὶ λαλοῦντες ἐσταύρωσαν. Καὶ ἡμεῖς οὖν ἶδωμεν εἰ ἡδέως αὐτοῦ ἀκούομεν. Αὐτὸς γὰρ εἴρηκεν· Ὁ ἀγαπῶν με τὰς ἐντολάς μου τηρήσει, καὶ ἀγαπηθήσεται ὑπὸ τοῦ Πατρός μου κὰγὼ ἀγαπήσω αὐτὸν, καὶ ἐμφαίνσω αὐτῷ ἑμαυτόν. Βλέπεις, πῶς τὴν ἑαυτοῦ ἐμφάνειαν ἐν ταῖς ἐντολαῖς ἐνέκρυψε; Ἅγιος Μάρκος ὁ Ἐρημίτης, Περὶ Τῶν Οἰομένων Ἐξ Ἔργων Δικαιοῦσθαι Source: Migne PG 65.964a

Every word of Christ shows the mercy and righteousness and wisdom of God, and by hearing their power passes into those who gladly hear. Whence the merciless and unrighteous are unwilling hearers and unable to know the wisdom of God, but rather word of it torments. Thus it is for us to look to whether we hear Him willingly. For He himself said, 'He who loves me, he will keep my commandments, and he will be loved by my Father and I shall love him, and I shall show myself to him.' 1 You see how His showing is hidden in His commandments? Saint Mark The Ascetic, On Those Who Think Themselves Justified By Works 1 Jn 14.21